Electric iron construction



J.- J. GOUGH ELECTRIC IRON CONSTRUCTION May 14, 1940.

Filed Jan. 15, 1959 ATTORNEY5.

Patented May 14, 1940 warren STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC IRON CONSTRUCTION Application January 13, 1939, Serial No. 250,783

6 Claims.

This invention relates generally to electric iron constructions, and more particularly to electric irons of the type in which the outer cover or shell portion is of streamlined appearance.

One of the problems incident tothe use of electrically heated irons of the streamlined type having an extension projecting rearwardly beyond the heel of the sole plate is that of adequately dissipating heat. In constructions with which I .0 am familiar wherein the cover or shell portion extends beyond the heel of the sole plate, overheating of said shell extension is experienced. In other words, when such irons are tilted to their position of rest, there is present the potential l5 hazard of overheating at the extreme heel end of the shell. It is, therefore, one of the important objects of the present invention to provide an electrically heated iron wherein heat dissipation in the vicinity of the heel of the shell is expedited without in any way impairing the attractiveness of the streamlined contours.

More specifically, the invention contemplates an electrically heated iron as set forth above, wherein the cover or shell which may be made 25 from a single piece of stock, gracefully inclines downwardly toward the rear and then slightly upward so as to present two relatively thin feet, as distinguished from conventional devices with which I am familiar, wherein the heel of the shell 30 terminates in a flange, which provides a foot of considerably greater width than the actual thickness of the stock. The present invention con templates feet which are of no greater thickness than the thickness of the stock.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an iron with a one-piece shell construction in combination with extremely simple means for firmly securing said shell and other advantages will be more apparent from the following detail description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein bodying features contemplated by the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged central, vertical, sectional View of the iron taken substantially along the line 2-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an iron ern- Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan sectional view of the heel of the iron taken substantially along the line 3--3 of Figure 2, the rearwardly extending shell portion being indicated by dotted lines;

Figure 4 is a perspective view .of the sheet metal contact prong supporting device which serves to cooperate in securing the assembled parts of the iron against loosening;

Figure 5 discloses a fragmentary portion of the heel of the shell and the combined rest and guard member, which is designed for coupling association within complementary apertures lo cated at the upper central portion of the shell;

- and Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the prong supporting device as viewed from the left of Figure 4.

- Referring now to the drawing more in detail wherein like numerals have been employed to designate similar parts throughout the various figures, it will be seen that one embodiment of the invention resides in an iron construction which includes an integral cover or shell designated generallyby the numeral 10, a handle structure l2, a sole plate l4, and a combined guard and rest member IS. The shell Ill rises from the toe of the sole plate M to the point where it engages the handle bracket l8 of the handle structure 12, and then gracefully inclines downwardly to the point designated by the letter A located beyond the heel of the sole plate I4 and above the plane thereof. From this point'the shell gracefully curves upwardly so as to provide a pair of narrow feet 211. As viewed in plan, the portion of the shell l0 intermediate the feet is slightly concava' Housed within the shell l0 and supported by the sole plate 14 is a porcelain plate or block 22 and a pressure or clamping plate 24. A clamping screw 26 is secured within the pressure plate 24, its proper position of vertical adjustment being established by a clamping member or nut 28 positioned intermediate the opposite extremities of the screw 26. A nut 30 is provided with an internally threaded shank for receiving the upper extremity of the screw 26.. When the nut 30 is tightened in position, the handle bracket i8 is firmly clamped against the complementary upper surface of the shell Ill.

The rear upwardly extending portion of the handle bracket I 8 is provided with an offset tongue 32 which is adapted to be received by a complementary recess 34 in the combined guard and rest member I6. As the nut 30 is tightened in position, the tongue 32 cooperates with the forward wall of the guard member IS in firmly securing said member in place. Formed integral with and extending downwardly from the rear wall of the guard member I6 is a tongue 36 which interlocks with a, complementary recess 38 in the shell In (Figure 5). Extending upwardly from and formed integral with the rear wall of the guard I6 is a rearwardly curved rest element or foot 40. The foot 40 cooperates with the two feet 20 of the shell in providing a three-point support when the iron is tilted to its vertical nonoperative position.

Positioned immediately beneath the rest and guard member l6 and housed within the shell I0 is a support and wall member designated generally by the numeral 42. includes a central support or base portion 44, a downwardly extending wall portion 46, and an upper forwardly extending tongue member 48 ,cooperatively arranged with a pair of lower tongue members 49. The base portion 44 serves as a support for a pair of prong contacts 50 which extend through apertures 52 in said base portion. These prongs 50 are clamped in position upon the base member through the agency of suitable nuts shown in Figure 2. A recess or slot 54 serves to receive the tongue 38 of the guard member l6, as clearly shown in Figure 2, and the upper and lower tongues 48 and 49 cooperate to impinge the edge B of the shell I0. Opposite extremities of the wall portion 46 are positioned immediately adjacent inner complementary surface portions of the shell l0. When the support and wall member 42 is secured in the position shown in Figure 2, the wall section 46 conceals from viewall of the elements in the vicinity of the heel of the iron structure and bears against the upper surface of the sole plate H. The forward -tongues 48 and 49 bear against the edge surface B of the shell l0, and the base portion 44 provides a support for the prongs 50. Opposite extremities of the base portion 44 are provided with arcuate upwardly extending flanges 56 which are adapted to be received by a complementary aperture 51 of the shell l0. These flanges extend upwardly within the aperture 51 and cooperate with the edges at opposite extremities of said aperture to prevent lateral shifting of the support and wall member 42.

The tongue 48 and the pair of tongues 49 associated therewith diverge in such a manner as to snugly receive the edge portion B of the shell and thus serve to secure the prong supporting section or mounting 44 against vertical and forward displacement. The apex impingement of the edge portion B between the tongues 48 and 48 in cooperation with the impingement of the tongue 38 against the wall portion 46 presents a very simple yet rigid interlocking structure. In this connection attention is directed to a detent 82 provided centrally of the wall portion 48 in the vicinity of the slot' 54. This detent 62 interlocks with a complementary recess .64 provided in the tongue 88. Thus the interlocking of the detent 62 within the recess 84, the interlocking oi the tongue 36 within the slot 54, the interlocking of the edge portion B between the.tongues 48 and 48, and the interlocking of the tongue 32 with the structure of the guard member l6 presents a most practical, durable, and simple interconnecting arrangement, the parts of which are free from auxiliary fastening devices of any kind. This entire interlocking structure may be produced by forming and stamping operations on This member 42' of the user.

sheet metal stock, which is a most economical and practical process of manufacture.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the elements which cooperate to secure the shell, sole plate, and other parts of the iron structure together as a relatively rigid unit, are relatively few in number and are of extremely simple construction. In fact, the only element which need be tightened to bring about the ultimate assembly of all of the parts is the nut 30. All of the other parts interlock or cooperate in such a manner that, when the nut 30 is tightened, the elements of the iron automatically become associated as an operative fixed unit. This simple yet firm interconnection of the constituent elements of the iron is accomplished without impairing the desired attractiveness in streamlined contour of the integral shell. In fact, the integral construction of the shell contributes toward the simplicity of interconnection of these parts.

The iron construction just described may be conveniently manipulated by gripping the handle member 58 which is secured-between the upright portions of the handle bracket l8 by any suitable means such as a screw 60 extending longitudinally of the handle member 58. When the handle member 58 is gripped so as to tilt the iron to its inoperative or rest position, the danger of overheating the rearwardly extending portion or heel of the shell II] is reduced to a minimum by reason of the shell design in this vicinity. Thus the rate of heat dissipation is sufficiently rapid to insure against overheating of the feet 28.

Particular attention is directed to the contour of the handle member 58. This handle member is provided with a surface portion C which is circular in cross-section and gradually concaved to receive the palm and adjacent finger portions Immediately forward of this surface portion C is a surface portion D, which is of more abrupt concavity and of considerably shorter axial length than the portion C. This surface portion D cooperates to provide a comfortable rest for the users thumb, as clearly indicated in Figures 1 and 2. Either the left or the right hand of the user may grip the surface portions C and D with equal ease and comfort. The ease with which the users thumb may apply pressure to and direct the movement of the iron materially contributes to the efllcient manual manipulation of the iron as a unit. In other words, a handle member shaped as shown increases the operatlng efliciency of the iron structure to which it is attached.

Obviously the contact prongs 58 are electrically connected with a suitable heating element (not shown) which is associated with the insulating plate 22. For a clear understanding of the present inventiona detailed disclosure of the heating element, etc., is not essential. The term electrical supply means as used herein is intended to cover contact prongs or any equivalent means by which electrical current is supplied to the heating element.

While certain structural features have been disclosed and described herein, it will be apparent that the invention is not limited to a particular structure herein shown, but is capable of other modifications and changes without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention. what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In an electrically heated iron construction,

a. sole plate, heating means associated with said 75 sole plate, a handle structure, an integral shell of thin metal stock disposed in covering relation with respect to said sole plate and having a portion extending rearwardly beyond the heel thereof, and including a wall inclining downwardly toward the plane of the sole plate to provide a streamlined contour, the downwardly inclined wall portion terminating in a laterally extending line disposed rearwardly of the sole plate, and an integral flange disposed in a plane extending rearwardly and upwardly from the downwardly inclined wall portion, having a rearward edge no thicker than the metal stock of the shell, providing spaced feet when the sole plate and shell extend upwardly, electrical contact elements as- 20,sole plate and shell extending upwardly when the extension and feet are rested on a horizontal sociated with the shell, guard means therefor having an extension above the said rearwardly extending portion and providing a rest cooper.- able with the said feet to support the iron with supporting surface, the said plane of the feet forming flange extending sharply upwardly from the edge thereof when in rest position to present 25 a narrow edge to the supporting surface, and

means secured within said shell providing a rear wall portion. v

2. In an electrically heated iron construction, a sole plate, heating means associated with said 3 sole plate, a handle structure, an integral shell disposed in covering relation with respectto said sole plate and extending rearwardly beyond the heel thereof, said shell being of streamlined contour and terminating in a heel portion compris- 35 ing relatively narrow feet, electrical contact elements associated with said shell, guard means therefor having an extension providing a. rest for cooperation with the aforesaid feet when the sole plate and shell extend upwardly, separable means 40 secured within said shell and providing a sup- 50 tour and terminating in a heel portioncomprising relatively narrow feet, electrical contact elements associated with said shell, guard means therefor having an extension providing a rest for cooperation with the aforesaid feet when the sole plate and shell extend upwardly, separable means interlocked with said shell and providing a support for said contact elements and a rear wall portion, and means for securing said shell and sole plate firmly together. I 4. In an electrically heated iron construction, a sole plate, heating means associated with said sole plate, a handle structure, an integral shell disposed in covering relation with respect to saidsole plate and extending rearwardly beyond the heel thereof, said shell being of streamlined contour and terminating in a heel portion comprising relatively narrow feet, electrical contact elements associated with said shell, guard means therefor having an extension providing a rest for cooperation with the aforesaid feet when the sole plate and shell extend upwardly, separable means interlocked with said shell and guard means and providing a support for said contact elements and a rear wall portion, and means for securing said shell and sole plate firmly together.

5. In an electrically heated iron construction, a sole plate, heating means associated with said sole plate, a handle structure, an integral shell disposed in covered relation with respect to said sole plate and extending rearwardly beyond the heel thereof, said shell being of streamlined contour and terminating in a heel portion comprising relatively narrow feet extending upwardly from the line of intersection of the lower edge of the shell with the upper surface of the shell, electrical contact elements associated with said shell, guard means for said contact elements; said guard means having an extension providing a rest for cooperation with the aforesaid feet when the sole plate and shell extend upwardly, separable means within said shell and providing a support for said contact elements and a rear wall portion extending between the shell and the heel .of the sole portion, interlocking lugs and apertures'securing the shell, the guard means and the separable means flrmly together, and means for securing the shell to the sole plate.

6. In an electrically heated iron construction, a sole plate, electric heating means associated with said sole plate, a handle structure, an integral shell of thin metal stock disposed in covering relation with respect to said sole plate and having a portion extending rearwardly beyond the heel thereof and including a wall inclining downwardly toward the plane of the sole plateg to provide a streamlined contour, the downwardly inclined wall portion terminating in a laterally extending line disposed rearwardly of the sole plate, and an integral flange disposed in a plane extending rearwardly and upwardly from the downwardly inclined wall portion, having a rearward edge no thicker than the metal stocl; of the shell; providing spaced feet when the sole plate and shell extend upwardly, electrical supply means associated with the shell, means providing a rest cooperable with the said feet to support the iron with sole plate and shell extending upwardly when the extension and feet are rested on a horizontal supporting surface, the said plane of the feet forming flange extending sharply upsurface, and means secured within said shell providing a rear wall portion.

, JAMES J. GOUGH. 

